Innovative new Canadian initiative will mobilize unprecedented funds towards gender equality
With the Equality Fund, Canadians are shifting the power to women’s rights organizations and supporting women pushing back against the push back.
(OTTAWA, Canada – June 2, 2019)
Today, the Canadian-led Equality Fund stepped forward to accelerate outcomes for women by breaking down historic barriers to investment and supporting gender equality globally. The ground-breaking collaboration combines international feminist grant-making, multi-sector philanthropy and a new innovative investment arm, the impact of which will transform and sustain funding for women’s organizations and movements well beyond 2030. The Equality Fund has mobilized initial investments of $100 million to partner with the $300 million multi-year funding award from the Government of Canada announced today.
This model is the first of its kind
Designed to move beyond traditional charity funding, the Equality Fund will unleash and leverage capital from diverse sources while a bold philanthropic strategy will activate unparalleled Canadian and international resources, including support from individual donors. The vision is uniquely Canadian since it merges two common values: to support women at home in our own communities and the desire to make a difference in the larger world. By weaving strong domestic organizations into the model from the outset, the consortium creates a legacy of Canadian leadership.
The Equality Fund collective is made up of The MATCH International Women’s Fund (The MATCH Fund), along with ten partners – the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), Calvert Impact Capital, the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF), Community Foundations of Canada (CFC), Philanthropy for Advancing Women’s Human Rights (PAWHR), Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Toronto Foundation, WUSC, Oxfam Canada and Yaletown Partners. Members all share common values yet offer unique organizational strengths.
With the partnership announced today, the Equality Fund will activate a minimum of $1B over the next fifteen years. In addition to launching a sustainable and transformative investment model, the grant-making approach will be based on three core themes – shifting power, building peace, protecting the planet – and support women’s movements and organizations in Canada and around the world.
Women’s rights are challenged the world over. With the Equality Fund, Canadians are shifting the power to women’s rights organizations and supporting women pushing back against the push back. Behind this effort is Canada’s best in philanthropy, feminist leadership, banking and investment, and international development. Canada is now the leading donor for women’s rights and gender equality globally.
For more information or to donate, visit www.equalityfund.ca and follow us on social media:
- Facebook: @EqualityFundCA
- Instagram: @equalityfund
- Twitter: @equality_fund
